WHO publishes report „Circular Economy and Health: Risks and Opportunities”

The new WHO report aims to start to address the change from a linear economy (take, make, dispose) to a circular economy (renew, remake, share) by framing the transition in a health context, to set the scene for further policy development, the assessment of research needs and stakeholder engagement in key health implications.

It shows that the transition to a circular economy provides a major opportunity to yield substantial health benefits, such as direct benefits to health care systems and indirect benefits from reducing negative environmental impacts. There are also risks of adverse and unintended health effects, however, in processes involving hazardous materials, for example; circular economy strategies and particularly national, regional and local implementation plans need to identify and address these risks.